Car roof



Oct. 3, 1939. D. w. HAwKswoRTH CAR ROOF Filed June 21, 1937 Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OAR ROOF Application June 21, 1937, Serial No. 149,535

1 Claim.

The invention relates to car roofs and more particularly to the means for flexibly attaching thereto a ceiling. It is the object of the invention to simplify the construction and facilitate the assembly thereof and to this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a cross section through a car roof to which my improvements are applied;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a similar section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 1.

Ceilings for car roofs are usually formed of wood or other non-metallic material. Where such ceilings are rigidly attached to an all-metal roof there will be a certain amount of differential contraction and expansion due to temperature changes and variation in humidity of the atmosphere which will tend to break the attachment. Also, the weaving of the roof due to road conditions will have a similar effect. It is, therefore, desirable to provide attachment means which will permit a certain amount of inde- 30 pendent movement of the ceiling panels, while holding the same in a fixed plane. My improvement is designed to provide such flexibility and to also facilitate the securing of the ceiling subsequent to the completion of the metallic roof.

As illustrated the all-metal roof is of the socalled two-plane type being provided with alternate upper plane portions A and lower plane portions B. Both of these portions are preferably formed in each roong sheet, the lower plane portions' having marginal portions C` slightly upwardly offset and terminating in down-turned flanges D abutting those of adjacent sheets and welded thereto. My improved ceiling support comprises spaced hanger members E which are secured to the vertical flanges D, preferably by forming the latter with offset portions forming recesses therebetween. Each hanger E has a vertical web with an upper portion E of a length transversely of the car to correspond to that of the recess between the flanges D, and a lower portion E2 of slightly greater length forming shoulders E3 which abut against the iianges D. The portion E2 is of a predetermined depth and is pro-vided with opposite laterally extending anges E4 and E5 and terminating in down-turned flanges E6. The members E are attached to the metallic roof during the assembly of the same and are secured by Welding, as indicated by F. There is preferably one of these members located at the (Cl. 10S-5.2)

point G not far from the eaves; another at point I-I between the eaves and the ridge. There is further a similar member I at the ridge and extending on opposite sides thereof.

The ceiling panels J are of suitable dimensions to iit between the hangers at opposite edges of the roong sheets and to extend from the eaves to the ridge. These may be formed of ply board or similar material with reinforcing transverse strips K at suitable points extending across the upper faces thereof. The panels are supported on batten strips L which are rabbeted on their opposite edges to form a central portion L' of a width to lit between the flanges E5 of the members E and outwardly extending portions L2 on which the panels rest. The battens are secured, preferably by screws M, extending through the strips and engaging apertures in the flanges E4 and E5, said screws being of the type adapted to cut a thread in the metal with which they are engaged. At the ridge there is a similar batten strip N secured to the member I, while at the eaves the panel J slightly overlaps the side lining member O. Thus, the panels may be successively placed in position and secured by the batten strips, and suiflcient clearance is provided between the edges' of these panels and said strips to take care of any differential expansion or contraction or displacement due to the weaving of the roof.

It will be understood that while the hangers E and I are placed in position and secured during the erection of the metallic roof, the ceiling may be placed in position subsequent to the completion of the roof.

What I claim as my invention is:

The combination with a car roof formed of roofing sheets having vertically extending flanges secured to each other, of spaced metallic hangers having vertical web portions secured between said vertically extending lianges and depending therefrom, flanges extending laterally and oppositely from the lower end of said web portions, depending flanges at the outer ends of said laterally extending ilanges, non-metallic ceiling panels symmetrically arranged beneath said roong sheets with their edges equally spaced on opposite sides of the webs of said hangers, non-metallic batten strips having rabbeted edges, the central portion of said strips tting between the depending flanges on said hanger and bearing against said laterally extending flanges, and the rabbets providing space for receiving the marginal portions of said panels, and screw fasteners extending vertically through said strips and laterally extending flanges to form a threaded connection with the latter.

DAVID W. HAWKSWORTI-I. 

